UFC on ESPN+ 33 free fight: Aleksandar Rakic starches Jimi Manuwa in 42 seconds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKXBgeS-Jpk

It didn’t take long for Aleksandar Rakic to put the UFC light heavyweight division on notice.

After notching three wins over Francimar Barroso, Justin Ledet and Devin Clark, Rakic (12-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) was matched up with fellow knockout artist Jimi Manuwa at UFC on ESPN+ 11 in June 2019.

In his highest-profile fight to date, Rakic passed the test with flying colors. After a few feints and fakes, Rakic lunged forward with a combination, capping it off with a brutal head kick that knocked Manuwa out cold just 42 seconds into the fight. The win established the Austrian as a legitimate threat to the division’s best at 205 pounds as he confirmed his status as a title contender after just four fights with the promotion.

Although Rakic lost a split decision to Volkan Oezdemir in December 2019 at UFC on ESPN+ 23, he later signed a new six-fight deal with the promotion. Now his next assignment will pit him against former light heavyweight title challenger Anthony Smith in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 33, which takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.

Before he faces Smith (33-15 MMA, 8-5 UFC), relive Rakic’s finish of Manuwa in the video above.